Constantly trying to poop/pass gas

Is this normal? He's not constipated, has the normal amount of wet/dirty diapers, his poop isn't hard, but he's constantly straining and grunting and pumping his legs. He tries so hard that it makes him spit up. I've tried bicycling his legs and doing leg lifts which doesn't seem to help. Putting him on his stomach helps sometimes but even after he passes gas he continues to push. He's not crying but he looks so uncomfortable and it distracts him from playtime. He is EBF which I thought was easier on a baby's tummy. Is anyone elses lo going through this?

Comments (15)

My LO is 2 months. She is completely breastfed so it may have nothing to do with bottles. I use the mylicon and I'm not pleased with it. Can I give Gripe to a 2 month old? Please provide some feedback as to whether it works. Here's another thought though. My brother is a doctor he said babies all have a fussy time. They don't have gas, they dont have to poop, it is a stress release time for them and it gives them exercise. He said all kids go through this and other than holding them once in a while and trying to distract them with a swing or vibrating chair there really is nothing you can do. It's normal. Some nights my LO is very easy going and others I feel like I'm dying in side cause I can't rescue her (like I feel I should be able to fix any problem she has) (btw first time mommy here). So it may just be a matter of getting through it. He said they grow out of it. I keep panicking thinking she has colic, she has acid reflux, but I can't tell for sure. I'm just so relieved when it's over. I'm completely calm when it happens cause I know that affects her, but once she's asleep I cry.

All babies do have fussy times (don't we all?) but you know when it's gas. My 8 week old has been fairly gassy, but it's been brutal gas the past few days. He turns beet red, scowels and cries. You can feel his poor tummy rumbling then he airs out some gas from either end or a poop (thought the last one was going to take my hand along with it!) and he stops crying immediately. Just started using Mylacon and I don't think it's doing anything. I'm going back to Gripe water (the Baby Bliss bottle I have says 2 weeks and up). We used it only sporadically before, but I think it worked.

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FT&SAH MumumumumEEeee to the Amazing Squigglebottom, Dylan (11 June 2009) and slacker-wife to the best dad & patient hubby, John (23 Oct 1993)

I have heard that broccoli in your diet will make your LO more gassy. If you are BF, watch what you are eating, it might be the culprit, might not also, but it is worth a shot. I had an extremely gassy baby and I used mylicon in her bottles before giving it to her and it has worked for us. I noticed that it doesn't work if I give it to her directly but it takes all the bubbles out of her formula. Hope all has worked out.

I have the same issues as many of you with a gassy 5 week old. He is on Good Start Gentle Plus and this is the best formula we have found thus far. He was on Enfamil Lipil and then Gentlease and both of these were worse. It seems he is the fussiest after eating which makes me think it could even be a milk allergy but our Peds did not seemed concerned about that and advised that most babies have gas. I feel his is excessive though and it often wakes him from his sleep. When he was first born he slept on average 3-4 hours stretches overnight. It is becoming progressively less with him sleeping now only about 1.5 to 2 hr stretches at a time. We have increased the amount we are feeding him thinking he may be hungry but that is not helping. I think the gas is waking him and then he can't get back to sleep. He will even fuss in his sleep with this.

As far as the Mylicon I wanted to share some information I found. The mylicon works by causing air bubbles in the stomach to bind together so that baby can more easily burp them out. The issues with this is with a lot of babies the gas travels to or forms in the intestines. Once out of the stomach the Mylicon does nothing to help the gas. We did try the gripe water and colic calm. Both work better then Mylicon but nothing is 100% Also the Mylicon can cause constipation which would also cause fussiness.